Several variables drive sales, but many dealers, buyers and experts attribute the increase in part to concerns about the economy and fears that if Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois wins the presidency, he will join with fellow Democrats in Congress to enact new gun controls. Obama has said that he believes in an individual right to bear arms but that he also supports “common-sense safety measures.”

He also supported a ban on semiautomatic “assault weapons” and a limit on handgun purchases to one a month.

I guess those Sportsmen for Obama commercials are not helping. Gun owners and enthusiasts know how to read between the lines and are shopping now, while they still can.

My guess is that this number would be even higher in a better economy.

Hurray for guns! This should be on the GOP campaign page, listed under an NRA endorsement:

“An 8-year-old boy died after accidentally shooting himself in the head while firing an Uzi submachine gun under adult supervision at a gun fair. The boy lost control of the weapon while firing it Sunday at the Machine Gun Shoot and Firearms Expo at the Westfield Sportsman’s Club, said Lt. Lawrence Vallierpratte of the Westfield Police Department. The police said the boy, Christopher Bizilj of Ashford, Conn., was with a certified instructor. It is legal in Massachusetts for children to fire a weapon if they have permission from a parent or legal guardian and are supervised by a properly certified and licensed instructor, Lt. Hipolito Nunez said.”

“An 8-year-old boy died after accidentally shooting himself in the head while firing an Uzi submachine gun under adult supervision at a gun fair. The boy lost control of the weapon while firing it Sunday at the Machine Gun Shoot and Firearms Expo at the Westfield Sportsman’s Club,”

source: NYTimes

I’m so glad we live in a society where these sorts of things are easily accessible, aren’t you? Police, military and Gangbangers committing drive-bys are the only people who would need such a weapon, but bless you guys for helping out.